What does Throughput mean?
Throughput is the rate at which data actually passes through a measured path during a particular interval. It can be lower than the advertised connection capacity because of overhead, competing traffic, radio conditions and limits elsewhere in the path.
Why it matters
A speed test measures throughput to its chosen endpoint, not to every streaming source. Short bursts can also hide variation during a long programme. Record the connection type, server and time when comparing results. Useful diagnosis connects those measurements with the moment playback fails rather than collecting only the highest score.
A practical example
A laptop beside the router may show excellent throughput while a player through two walls receives much less. Both results can be accurate for their different paths.
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Related terminology: Territorial media rights, Time shifting.
For practical setup and troubleshooting, browse the journal or support guides.